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A change is as good as a rest, or so the saying goes. London Irish and Saracens will hope it rings true this week as they embark on their American adventure, writes Martyn Thomas.
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London Irish and Saracens have decamped to New York as they continue their preparations for this Saturday’s historic Aviva Premiership clash at the Red Bull Arena.
Exiles, as hosts of the first ever English top flight game to be played on foreign soil, are aiming to capitalise on the large Irish population in the Big Apple and give their fight against relegation fresh impetus.
Demotion is not something table-topping Saracens have to concern themselves with, yet the trans-Atlantic trip might just have arrived at the right time as they look to emerge from a mini slump that has yielded just a single victory from their last four outings.
All of which means that rugby fans stateside are guaranteed a full-bloodied taste of Premiership rugby, which will come as music to the ears of Nigel Melville.
USA Rugby’s CEO has stressed the importance of taking a meaningful game to the States as his organisation attempt to continue the game’s encouraging growth in America.
Indeed, Monday’s announcement that NBC has signed a three-year deal to broadcast Premiership matches from next season is just the latest sign that rugby is starting to take hold in the land of gridiron.
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Since it was revealed last October that Irish and Saracens would face off in New Jersey, a professional North American league has been founded, the Americas Rugby Championship has kicked off and Ireland have agreed to play New Zealand in Chicago this November.
The USA Eagles might have lost to both Brazil and Uruguay in recent weeks, but in terms of popularity in the States, it is clear that progress is being made.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the team that’s calling the Red Bull Arena home this week. Irish began this season with genuine hope that a corner could be turned.
But despite investment in their playing ranks, and a run of three successive home wins at the turn of the year, the campaign has played out to a familiar tune. Albeit one that has lost any hint of vibrancy.
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Saturday’s defeat to Bath has left the Exiles stranded at the foot of the table. Worcester’s win at Newcastle on Friday night had given Tom Coventry’s men a chance to close the gap to safety, but it was not taken.
Bath have struggled to replicate the form that saw them reach last season’s Premiership final, yet they found it all too easy to cut through their visitors at the Rec and secured a try-scoring bonus point with 20 minutes left.
Coventry’s side did rally towards the end, but despite Alex Lewington’s late try, an opportunity for a losing bonus point was spurned as Greig Tonks struck a post. How costly could that miss prove come the end of the season?
Irish have amassed just one bonus point in a paltry 13 points from 15 games. Newcastle, 11th of the 12 Premiership teams, have 21 points, Worcester are a place and point further out of reach.
In the last decade only two teams have survived with less than 32 points. With seven games remaining, London Irish need to start winning, and they need to start now.
On the face of it, then, the Exiles could hardly have picked a tougher test than that provided by Saracens, a team they’ve beaten just once in their last five attempts, while conceding 137 points.
Their last victory came more than two years ago, during James O’Connor’s brief stint at the club, but there is hope for those travelling to New Jersey wearing green.
The Premiership leaders have not been at their fluent best over recent weeks, and come into Saturday’s game having won just once in their last four matches.
On the weekend Mark McCall’s side missed the steadying influence of veteran fly-half Charlie Hodgson as they slipped to a home defeat against Northampton.
Saracens lost control of the contest when scrum-half Ben Spencer went to the sin-bin, while Hodgson’s understudy, the experienced Nils Mordt, inexplicably booted the ball into touch with time over and the hosts just five points behind.
Irish cannot expect their London neighbours to be quite as accommodating this Saturday. Especially not when they have a couple of Eagles in their ranks.
Hayden Smith and Chris Wyles will both be keen to put on a show and further help raise the awareness of union in their home country.
“From my perspective I just want USA rugby to continue to grow because the fans are so passionate and there’s a huge amount of room for development in the States,” Wyles said.
“With the amount of amazing stadiums in the States, if rugby continues to grow then for the Premiership to play over there every year would be a no-brainer really.”
For Irish to remain part of that equation, victory is a no-brainer too.
